<p>I am currently a sophomore at Stuyvesant High School in New York City. Its a pretty good high school, 15th in the country I think. I am good at chemistry and have the choice of taking AP Chem next term but I also heard that its insanely hard. If I do take it I will have to take SAT II Chem, SAT II Bio, AP Chem Test, and AP Statistics Test, and SAT next year. That seems like a lot of stress. Should I not take AP Chem and just take the SAT II Chem test now? Or should I go crazy next year and take all those tests and (try) to do well on all of them which seems pretty impossible to me. </p>
<p>Is AP stats necessary? I'm trying to get into Columbia and I know the chances are very very slim. Thank you everyone.</p>
<p>The decision is ultimately yours but the tippy-top colleges are looking for students who are maximizing their opportunities and excelling at these academic challenges. The rule of thumb is to take a rigorous as possible a load while still doing well. Know that among your peers are kids who are taking this type of schedule and acing all of them. Not necessarily rosy news but true none-the-less. Best of luck to you in choosing.</p>
<p>it is entirely up to you. it would be awesome for admissions officers to see such a strong applicant, but sometimes the additional classes aren't worth the stress.
i'm going to add, AP stat is not as math-y as you think. that's either a + or a -.</p>
<p>What do you think you want to do with your life?</p>
<p>What do you think you would like to study in college?</p>
<p>What are the pre-requisites for the college classes that you would like to take?</p>
<p>Which of those pre-requisites can you take care of by AP exams (and HS level AP courses), and which will you have to wait to take in college?</p>
<p>If Stats is not a pre-req. for anything that you are planning on taking your first year of college, I say skip it in HS unless it is the only math course that remotely fits your schedule. Take a class that you actually WANT to take and that you are certain you will ENJOY taking instead.</p>
<p>Admission people really focus on students taking the most aggressive program available, but If your focus is not in the STEM area, they might not obsess over lack of AP Chem.</p>
<p>CHEM SAT II is bizarre format: requiring strange cross matching of chemical reaction. Take a look at sample tests before assuming that regualar HS chem will get you through SAT-Chem test. D's school strongly recommends students take AP-Chem before taking SAT II-Chem test.</p>